Incorporating remote sensing techniques to the DRASTIC index to assess groundwater vulnerability at mining areas: application to Sonora river aquifer, northwestern Mexico

Groundwater metal pollution is a major concern in mining areas. This study proposes a new addition to the DRASTIC method (DRASTIC+Lu) to assess groundwater vulnerability to metal pollution in mining areas by combining remote sensing (to locate metal pollution sources) and the DRASTIC index. The stu...

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Main Authors: Denisse Archundia, Víctor Vidaña-Guillen, Juan Valenzuela-Munguia, Francisco Molina-Freaner
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México 2022-12-01
Series:Revista Mexicana de Ciencias Geológicas
Subjects:
Online Access:https://rmcg.unam.mx/index.php/rmcg/article/view/1683
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author Denisse Archundia
Víctor Vidaña-Guillen
Juan Valenzuela-Munguia
Francisco Molina-Freaner
author_facet Denisse Archundia
Víctor Vidaña-Guillen
Juan Valenzuela-Munguia
Francisco Molina-Freaner
author_sort Denisse Archundia
collection DOAJ
description Groundwater metal pollution is a major concern in mining areas. This study proposes a new addition to the DRASTIC method (DRASTIC+Lu) to assess groundwater vulnerability to metal pollution in mining areas by combining remote sensing (to locate metal pollution sources) and the DRASTIC index. The study was performed in a mining area in northwestern Mexico showing current and historical mining activities. The proposed methodology allowed locating known and unknown sources of metal pollution (mining tailings, active/inactive mines, and areas with exposed natural geochemical anomalies). Generally, the addition of the land use (Lu) parameter causes not only a decrease in vulnerability but also highlights very high vulnerable areas and identifies new ones in the vicinity of metal pollution sources. This result is relevant to focus stewardship efforts in very high vulnerable areas. Results allowed to identify the need to implement protection and restauration measures in the Sonora river channel and its vicinity. The proposed method could be implemented in other mining areas around the world –at a low cost– to locate unknown metal pollution sources and clearly identify very high vulnerable areas that play a key role in the protection of groundwater resources.
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issn 1026-8774
2007-2902
language English
publishDate 2022-12-01
publisher Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México
record_format Article
series Revista Mexicana de Ciencias Geológicas
spelling doaj-art-97bae942282341fe9be0bc4a1e26623a2025-08-20T02:22:54ZengUniversidad Nacional Autónoma de MéxicoRevista Mexicana de Ciencias Geológicas1026-87742007-29022022-12-0139310.22201/cgeo.20072902e.2022.3.1683Incorporating remote sensing techniques to the DRASTIC index to assess groundwater vulnerability at mining areas: application to Sonora river aquifer, northwestern MexicoDenisse Archundia0Víctor Vidaña-Guillen1Juan Valenzuela-Munguia2Francisco Molina-Freaner3Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología (CONACyT), Mexico City, Mexico. Estación Regional del Noroeste, Instituto de Geología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Colosio y Madrid s/n, Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico.Instituto de Geología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Coyoacán, Mexico City, 04510, Mexico.Estación Regional del Noroeste, Instituto de Geología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Colosio y Madrid s/n, Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico.Instituto de Ecología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Hermosillo, Sonora C.P. 83250, Mexico. Groundwater metal pollution is a major concern in mining areas. This study proposes a new addition to the DRASTIC method (DRASTIC+Lu) to assess groundwater vulnerability to metal pollution in mining areas by combining remote sensing (to locate metal pollution sources) and the DRASTIC index. The study was performed in a mining area in northwestern Mexico showing current and historical mining activities. The proposed methodology allowed locating known and unknown sources of metal pollution (mining tailings, active/inactive mines, and areas with exposed natural geochemical anomalies). Generally, the addition of the land use (Lu) parameter causes not only a decrease in vulnerability but also highlights very high vulnerable areas and identifies new ones in the vicinity of metal pollution sources. This result is relevant to focus stewardship efforts in very high vulnerable areas. Results allowed to identify the need to implement protection and restauration measures in the Sonora river channel and its vicinity. The proposed method could be implemented in other mining areas around the world –at a low cost– to locate unknown metal pollution sources and clearly identify very high vulnerable areas that play a key role in the protection of groundwater resources. https://rmcg.unam.mx/index.php/rmcg/article/view/1683metal contaminationaquiferpollution sourcesimageryvulnerability index
spellingShingle Denisse Archundia
Víctor Vidaña-Guillen
Juan Valenzuela-Munguia
Francisco Molina-Freaner
Incorporating remote sensing techniques to the DRASTIC index to assess groundwater vulnerability at mining areas: application to Sonora river aquifer, northwestern Mexico
Revista Mexicana de Ciencias Geológicas
metal contamination
aquifer
pollution sources
imagery
vulnerability index
title Incorporating remote sensing techniques to the DRASTIC index to assess groundwater vulnerability at mining areas: application to Sonora river aquifer, northwestern Mexico
title_full Incorporating remote sensing techniques to the DRASTIC index to assess groundwater vulnerability at mining areas: application to Sonora river aquifer, northwestern Mexico
title_fullStr Incorporating remote sensing techniques to the DRASTIC index to assess groundwater vulnerability at mining areas: application to Sonora river aquifer, northwestern Mexico
title_full_unstemmed Incorporating remote sensing techniques to the DRASTIC index to assess groundwater vulnerability at mining areas: application to Sonora river aquifer, northwestern Mexico
title_short Incorporating remote sensing techniques to the DRASTIC index to assess groundwater vulnerability at mining areas: application to Sonora river aquifer, northwestern Mexico
title_sort incorporating remote sensing techniques to the drastic index to assess groundwater vulnerability at mining areas application to sonora river aquifer northwestern mexico
topic metal contamination
aquifer
pollution sources
imagery
vulnerability index
url https://rmcg.unam.mx/index.php/rmcg/article/view/1683
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